The plight of Indian labourers working abroad under exploitative conditions has long been a matter of concern. In a bid to ease the process of emigration and ensure that unsuspecting labourers do not fall prey to dubious recruitment claims, the ministry of external affairs has set up an online portal, eMigrate, to facilitate safe and legal migration. The Protector General of Emigrants is the registering authority and has been permitted to issue registration certificates to recruiting agents who provide jobs abroad in line with the Emigration Act, 1983. This is a welcome move. But challenges remain. Countless illegal recruitment agents who are not registered with the PGE continue to operate under the radar. Earlier this month, India rescued around 130 Indian workers from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia after they were lured by agents with the promise of lucrative employment. In 2019, a case was registered against a Mangaluru-based agent for swindling around 34 youths from Dakshina Kannada by assuring them jobs in Kuwait. The death of Indian workers in Qatar — the host of this edition of the football World Cup — is another case in point. Workers — migrants — availing of the services of non-registered agents often face problems like non-payment of salary, confiscation of key documents, physical, mental and even sexual abuse, and trafficking. Even when the ministry of external affairs is notified about the poor condition of Indian labourers abroad, the rescue and rehabilitation process is further complicated by the lack of information about registered workers with Indian missions.

A significant number of Indian workers who emigrate are semi-skilled or unskilled labourers. The worsening economic situation under the the Narendra Modi government is unlikely to stem the flow of émigrés. Several challenges thus lie before the Centre, the first of which is ensuring that Indian labourers abroad are safe and fairly compensated. India is a founder member of the International Labour Organization and has ratified several conventions and protocols related to the safety and security of workers. It must uphold these. There is also a case for the Centre to turn its eye towards the domestic informal sector that is plagued by similar challenges. The well-being of Indian workers abroad is also a diplomatic challenge. New Delhi must, thus, work the well-established channels with its foreign allies to safeguard the rights of migrant workers on their turf.